3 Key Takeaways:
- Prostate cancer treatments involve an elaborate process that includes initial consultations, CT scans, and detailed planning phases.
- Advanced Urology Institute is the largest urology practice in Florida and provides a team of well-trained and experienced urologists.
- Each step of the prostate cancer treatment process is designed with meticulous precision and absolute care for patient safety.
As the second person in life’s journey, it is inevitable that at some point, health will become a matter of concern. It may be a minor ailment, a major disease, or a silent adversary like prostate cancer. It’s a scenario that’s all too common but not one that you have to face alone. As Fred of Advanced Prostate Cancer Institute (APCI) explains in a recent interview, there’s an elaborate procedure that is followed to ensure the successful treatment of prostate cancer, providing the assurance that your journey towards recovery is not walked alone.
The Beginning Stages
In most cases, prostate cancer is detected during regular checkups or when signs start to emerge. When this happens, you should expect an initial consult with a doctor. “When a patient first comes in, they’ll have their initial consult, sit with the doctor and find out what’s going to actually transpire,” shares Fred.
At this stage, a consultation with urologists in FL from Advanced Urology Institute provides a comprehensive understanding of the disease and potential treatments. It’s not just about the medical jargons or treatment options-they will aim to help you understand what it all means, to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the treatment process.
Preparing for Treatment
After the initial consultation, the next step is preparation for treatment. It is a detailed process that includes a CT or CAT scan to help the doctor understand the patient’s body better internally for proper treatment planning.
Fred describes the importance of this step, “We do a CAT scan, and when we do the CAT scan, we make an immobilization device for the feet. It’s called a VacLock. That helps keep the hips from moving around while the patient’s laying on the table.”
The Planning Phase
Once the CT scan is completed, the planning phase begins – a critical stage in the process. The CT scan results are transported electronically from the CAT scan machine to the planning department, where the doctor marks out areas of interest for treatment and areas to avoid.
As Fred explains, “The doctor marks out areas that he’s interested in treating and interested in areas that he wants to dodge for the treatment to make sure everything is covered and safe to treat where it’s supposed to be.”
This process lasts about a week, ensuring that individualized treatment plans are well-crafted not just for efficacy, but with patient safety in mind.
The Role of Advanced Urology Institute
The journey towards recovery can be a daunting one, but with the right team by your side, it becomes less intimidating. The largest urology practice in Florida, Advanced Urology Institute, presents a team of well-trained and experienced urologists who will guide you every step of the way.
Their expertise, coupled with Fred’s insightful explanation, reinforces that prostate cancer patients are not just patients- they are individuals whose treatment processes are designed with meticulous precision and absolute care. With them, you can trust that each step taken is towards a better, safer, and healthier future. Trust the process, trust the team, and always remember that you are never alone in this journey.
References:
- “How Is Prostate Cancer Treated? – CDC.” 17 Jul. 2023, https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/basic_info/treatment.htm.
- “Tests to Diagnose and Stage Prostate Cancer.” 31 May. 2023, https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/how-diagnosed.html.
- “Comparison of Interfractional Setup Reproducibility between Two ….” https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329469420_Comparison_of_Interfractional_Setup_Reproducibility_between_Two_Types_of_Patient_Immobilization_Devices_in_Image-Guided_Radiation_Therapy_for_Prostate_Cancer.
Transcription:
Fred of APCI:
When a patient first comes in, they’ll have their initial consult, sit with the doctor and find out what’s going to actually transpire. They’ll come back in later on and when they do come back in, the first thing that happens is we do a CT or a CAT scan so that we can do our planning to be able to treat the patient. It’s impossible to walk in off of the street and just start a set of treatments. Each plan is individualized. We have to know exactly how the patient is internally so that everything is done properly.
We do a CAT scan, and when we do the CAT scan, we make an immobilization device for the feet. It’s called a VacLock. That helps keep the hips from moving around while the patient’s laying on the table. We do our scan and then we send the patient home. They don’t come back for about a week. As soon as we’re done with the CT itself, electronically the CT is shipped from the CAT scan machine over to our planning department.
The planning department takes the CT and turns it into something that’s workable for us over on the treatment machine itself. It takes about a week to accomplish all of this. The planning department sits down with the doctor. The doctor marks out areas that he’s interested in treating and interested in areas that he wants to dodge for the treatment to make sure everything is covered and safe to treat where it’s supposed to be.
